Rumor is they only sent 30 chips out instead of 10k to people. Today they did send out an update via email though which promising.
i don't know which rumor mill you feed off... but the mixup was not that they sent 30 chips instead of 10k.
Avalon had indicated earlier that they would send 30 sample chips per 10k chips ordered. The mixup was that they were sending 30 sample chips to per buyer irrespective of order volume. That mixup has been clarified... and attributed to communication problems...